6 WEEKS, 4 DAYS

234 days to go...

Your baby's lungs won't be fully developed until late in pregnancy, but the foundations are being laid down right now.

In this 7th week of pregnancy, your baby's lungs are starting to develop. This begins with a small lung bud branching out from the upper part of the tube (esophagus) between your baby's mouth and stomach. This lung bud forms the main windpipe or "trachea," which then divides into two main branches (bronchi) that will eventually form your baby's right and left lungs. These bronchi continue to branch into smaller tubes, a process that will be repeated many times.

Your baby's gut is also starting to develop, from the mouth downward. At the beginning of this week, his future digestive system consisted of a simple tube that lay along the length of the embryo; this tube was closed at each end. The tube remains closed but the esophagus has now started to separate from the trachea and connect to the stomach. The swelling that will become your baby's stomach forms around the center of his body, but undergoes a 90-degree rotation to lie more on the left-hand side.

Buds arise from the duodenum (the first part of the bowel that leaves the stomach) that will form the pancreas and bile duct to the gall bladder.

In just a couple of weeks, your baby will have all its major organs and body systems.

As A Matter Of Fact

Music therapy is a highly effective way to reduce stress.

A study found that pregnant women who listened to music that mimicked the human heartbeat had reduced stress levels compared to those who did not receive the treatment.

Ectopic pregnancy

An ectopic pregnancy can cause abdominal pain on one side and irregular vaginal bleeding. Some women get shoulder-tip pain, thought to be caused by internal bleeding. An ectopic pregnancy can rupture the fallopian tube causing severe pain. Emergency medical attention is essential.

If an ectopic pregnancy is suspected, you will be given a scan. Sometimes the pregnancy will naturally regress; if not medication or surgery will be necessary.